JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
With the November 2016 election season fast approaching, more than 500 offices across the United States will open for election, including the Presidential election, 34 senate seats, 435 House of Representative voting seats, 12 gubernatorial seats and a myriad of mayoral races.
While most active duty U.S. Service members and their families live and work outside their home states of residence, U.S. Air Force Capt. Nicole Turner, Langley Air Force Base installation voting assistance officer, said the Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, community can ensure their voices are heard at the polls through the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
"The program assists our Service members, civilian employees and dependents to send their votes home and provides resources should voters choose to exercise their right," she said. "Every vote counts, and FVAP can enable the JBLE community's voice to be heard."
While the FVAP works to inform Service members, Department of Defense employees and their family members of their right to vote, it also provides tools and resources to send their vote home from anywhere in the world.
"With constant moves and deployments, Service members can feel like they fall through the cracks come election time," said Tyrone Fuller, Fort Eustis IVAO. "Regardless of your location, your voice counts, and the program gives Service members all the tools needed to make the decision."
The program accomplishes this by administering the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act which requires all states and U.S. territories to allow American citizens to register to vote by absentee ballots.
Locally, the JBLE voting assistance program officers assist voters with resident state registration and absentee voting while providing unbiased resources for voters to make informed choices during the election season.
"Our job as voting assistance officers is to remind [the military community] how important their votes are," said Turner. "Our government has a system in place to ensure everyone's voice is heard, and it starts with FVAP."
While the 2016 presidential election will most likely attract most voters' attention, Fuller said state and local elections are important considerations for voters living out of state.
"[All] elections are important and military members' votes carry weight," he said. "Elections from the lowest level to the president shape our country and your state depends on your vote."
According to Turner, the program's website, FVAP.gov, provides a wealth of information, including the program and absentee voting overview, state specific information and links, and an online assistant which takes users though an automated, step-by-step process to complete the voting process.
Fuller said he encourages all eligible JBLE community members to send their votes home next November.
"[The military community] can make a difference," he said. "We are a force that can move mountains, and it all starts with a vote."
For more information on the upcoming 2016 election season, visit FVAP.gov.
For more information on the JBLE voting assistance program or to find your unit voting assistance representative, e-mail Turner at Nicole.turner@us.af.mil for Langley units, and Lei Gates at lei.l.gates.civ@mail.mil or José Martin at joseph.s.martin46.ctr@mail.mil for Fort Eustis.